Teamster Representatives Continue to Demand Independent Board Chairman at Annual SCI Shareholder Meeting

Last month during Service Corporation International’s Annual Shareholder Meeting in Houston, Texas, Teamsters representatives once again proposed the appointment of an independent Board of Directors Chairman.  This meeting marks the sixth consecutive year that Local 727 or International Brotherhood of Teamsters representatives have impressed upon SCI shareholders the necessity for independent leadership.

A board chairman’s main duty is to monitor company operations and ensure executives are making decisions that are in the best interest of the business and shareholders.  Local 727 and the IBT have long argued that having a CEO as chairman of the board—as is the case with SCI CEO and Board of Directors Chairman Thomas Ryan—removes this safeguard and opens the door for malpractice.

“Leaders of large, multibillion-dollar companies like SCI must be held accountable for their actions, not just to their shareholders but also to the dedicated workers that have made SCI the successful company it is today,” said John Coli Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 727.  “Thousands of workers across North America, including many Local 727 members, are depending on the SCI Board of Directors to ensure executives’ decisions do not jeopardize their livelihoods.  An independent board chairman is imperative to guaranteeing the company, and jobs, remain secure.”

While the proposal did not receive the necessary number of votes to pass this year, Local 727 and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters are not deterred from their shared goal and remain resolute.

Members with questions should contact Local 727 Business Representative Nick Micaletti at (847) 696-7500 or [email protected].

Nothing in this article should be read as the union’s waiver of any legal argument, position or grievance(s), or as a waiver of any rights, arguments, or defenses under any contract, collective bargaining agreement, or applicable law.  The union does not forfeit its right to make any and all supplemental arguments

Category: FUNERAL, SCI/Alderwoods